This is a first for flatmatters. Testing a complete bike. I can remember always reading bike tests back in the day in Freestylin’/Go, BMX Plus, Invert,etc.
This time I was at the front line if you like, Chris asked me to test this Deep Blitz that he built up with parts available from his Function flatland site. What I did through the course of the last few months I’ve had the bike, were make lil’notes and comments after each session I rode the bike. The second part of this test will be a conclusion of all the parts on this bike. Before I have to give it back. Sob sob.
First Impressions.
Chris brought down the bike, on the Thursday leading up to the “King of Southsea” contest, the bike looked the “real deal” right from the off. The frame especially stood out, I had the feeling of having a new bike even though I was only testing it, couldn’t stop looking at it, the finish, matt red was so nice, the embossed deep logo on the headtube impressed me (nice touch), black deep bars reminded me of the old haro fst bars(although seemed too wide),flatware stem, odyssey forks, the bike was dialled and decked out with great parts, I was impressed. I couldn’t believe Chris was giving me this to test, I recall even asking him, “are you sure about this?”…
First session.
I’m always a lil wary of my first rides on a bike, tentative you might say! I tested the bike first with a hang 5, which for about the first time ever I think, worked easily. This kind of made me think “hmmm cliffhanger turbines I wonder how they would be on it”, so I spent the first session playing with cliff turbines, the balance point seemed real stable, I was hitting multiples 2-3’s fairly easily, the frame felt very responsive, and effortless to ride, the bars did however feel too wide, keep catching them on any pivots or step thru the frame type moves. An easy problem to overcome, too long is better than too short to begin with.
After the first session, the seat was loose on the rails, this concerned me, and was flexing a lot after each front wheel ride out. Odyssey Frequency G’s tried and proven to be a great outdoor tyre.The khe freecoaster also caused some concern, the cranks moved as I cranked into every trick, I have adjusted a few times, and still the same results, this was driving me mad already! I personally prefer the Nankai hub to the KHE freecoaster. The blitz handled really stable on the back wheel, I loved how beefy the back tubing was, the offset forks felt very twitchy to me, super fast, and would take me a bit of getting used to.. The pegs were too small for me, a few years ago I used small diameter pegs and they caused a lot of pain on the sole of my foot, since switching to a larger diameter peg (fly Gomez), I haven’t had this aching pain, if you’re a younger rider you might want to consider this for your future! (and also better for pivots). Function over fashion!
The Odyssey cranks felt great, no sharp edges to catch on rideouts, tricked out with chainring with no bolt to come loose!.
The flatware stem felt solid, and the 26” reach, seemed just about perfect for me, no sharp edges (like my bizhouse has)..This bike really is for the most part, with minor adjustments, as good as its going to get.
Deep frame:
18.7 tt.
12.6 cs.
74.5 deg head tube angle.
70 deg seat tube angle.
spanish b/b - included.
internal headset - included.
fully heat treated sanko cromo.
machined head tube logo.
with or without removable u brake mounts.
4.08 lbs.
Fork: Flatware 16mm offset.
Headset: Deep internal.
Stem: Flatware 26mm reach.
Bars: Deep escobar 8.25" x 27.5", 5 deg upsweep, 5 deg backsweep.
Grips: Flatware.
BB: Deep Spanish.
Crank: Flatware.
Sprocket: Flatware rhode island - 9 sided interface - no bolt!
Chain: Khe half link hollowpin.
Pedals: Odyssey twisted plastic.
Seatclamp: Proper.
Seatpost: Suelo.
Seat: Khe watanabe.
Tyres: Odyssey Frequency G 1.75".
Rims: G-sport ribcage.
Spokes: Odyssey.
Front hub: Khe geisha superlight.
Rear hub: Khe geisha lite freecoaster.
9 comments:
Nice writeup. This is a really nice looking complete. What kind of pegs were they anyway? Too bad you couldn't cut the bars down yourself, haha. I don't think i could ride very well with bars that were almost 2 inches longer on each side than my usual setup.
I have no idea how you can ride a 18.7 tt effraim, thats tiny!!!
Not sure what pegs were, will have to get back to Chris at function flatland for the make of those, the pegs were to small for me, and like Ez Chris said the tt is too small for me, but worked well on certain tricks, ie cliffhangers and variations with that trick. Because of the width of the bars, I was somewhat limited to what I could do. I would live to try this frame in a 19.2 tt, if I was under 6ft I would have brought this off Chris for sure. I'll be breaking down my thoughts on each part of the bike in the next episode.
The pegs are KHE Alchemy - plastic with griptape.
If you think the frame is short, it is also available in 18.4"!!
I've left some parts off my first impressions section for the second part of this test. 18.4 is tiny chris! Deep definitely need to do this frame in a 19+ tt, aesthically the frame looks bang on! Love the thickness of tubing on the back end, the embossed logo on headtube and paint finish is on point! Deep are def going places...
Any chance of a short vid???
Be a short vid in part 2!
What is your personal frame, E?
~J
Personally ride the Zion focus.
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